I get it. My comments are uncomfortable for you. I think CJF is a marvelous guy. But I feel like the 'family' narrative is a step over the line. It is ok for us to disagree.
How James Franklin is attracting blue-chip talent to Penn State
- Thread starter ChiTownLion
- Start date
I’m from Brooklyn and part Italian. I can assure you I don’t there
Someone mentioned the Mafia above. In Bensonhurst there was no such thing as the Mafia
In our neighborhood MAFIA stood for Mothers And Fathers Italian Association, and nothing more.
Olive Garden is probably the safest place to avoid the Mafia....they wouldn’t eat there.
Felt this deserved its own thread. Whole article is kind of a must-read.
How James Franklin is attracting blue-chip talent to Penn State
By Bruce Feldman Jul 5, 201863
The most eye-opening thing I saw during a week with the LSU staff around Signing Day 2017 didn’t involve the Tigers or anything regarding the SEC. It was a program 1,200 miles away.
LSU spent much of that week trying to get a jump on the 2018 and 2019 prospects with film review and phone calls to coaches. It wasn’t shocking to see that many of the top prospects it was targeting had Georgia, Alabama and Clemson listed among their favorites, but seeing Penn State listed so often was quite a surprise. The Nittany Lions hadn’t had a top-10 recruiting class since 2006, according to 247Sports, and their average class ranked No. 26 over the previous decade.
Twelve months later, Penn State closed on the nation’s No. 5 class, featuring three five-star and 12 four-star recruits.
What triggered the big change?
Talk to some of the parents of blue-chip prospects, and they’ll say it is epitomized by an 85-second video clip filmed last July at Penn State’s “Lasch Bash” recruiting get-together. One parent, Charles Wallace, the father of Caedan Wallace, the nation’s No. 80-ranked recruit in the Class of 2019, posted that clip on Twitter. It is of Franklin’s speech to recruits and their families about what he thinks makes Penn State’s program unique.
“We were sitting there and he was talking, and something inside was telling me this was a special moment,” Wallace told The Athletic. “He had gotten emotional. I was like, ‘Let me start recording this. I really want to hear what he’s going to say.’ ” ...story continues...
https://theathletic.com/417183/2018/07/05/james-franklin-recruiting-penn-state-football/
I wonder if Coach Hairball uses that line when he does a recruit sleepover?
Pet Peeve alert!
I've heard so many leaders pull the "we are family" card that it kind of makes me sick to my stomach. I hate that, including the mustered up tear perfectly timed with the voice crack. I fell for that crap once, and I will never fall for it again.
CJF should be telling kids and parents that he is a teacher and a coach. Kids need to come to be prepared to play; and if they do they will be rewarded. They won't be cut and will be able to realize their full scholarship. But he isn't their mom or dad. he's not going to wipe their noses and tuck them in at night. His love is not unconditional. He has an obligation to teach and coach and he will do the best he can for each and every one of them.
The next time I see a car dealership commercial where they call their customers "one of the family"...well, lets just say when I hear a company say that, I avoid them at all costs.
I wonder if Coach Hairball uses that line when he does a recruit sleepover?
I get where you are coming from on this topic and your work history reinforces your perspective nicely. I previously worked in a family business where the 3rd generation son was a POS and Grandpa fired his Son AND Grandson. He fired the Geandson for being a POS and the Son for not fixing the HR problem!
In my current job, we shy away from the “family” word and use the sports team analogy; which is interesting. I think it is alright to desire for a “family-like” atmosphere in a “business” (which CFB IS) but you have to be careful about acting like you are a family. Unless, of course, if Grandpa isn’t afraid to fire his own Son and POS Grandson!
I think Franklin desires for a “family-like” atmosphere which does not tolerate POS-like behavior or performance. I’m OK with the use of the word “family” in association with the PSU football program in this context.
Totally agree. I think you summed it up perfectly. And I recognize CJF cannot dweel on the nuance between family and a competitive environment. but it raises a red flag. Just like the Chevy commercial. It smells like used car sells. It may not be, it may be genuine to a point. But it simple cannot be 'family'.I get where you are coming from on this topic and your work history reinforces your perspective nicely. I previously worked in a family business where the 3rd generation son was a POS and Grandpa fired his Son AND Grandson. He fired the Geandson for being a POS and the Son for not fixing the HR problem!
In my current job, we shy away from the “family” word and use the sports team analogy; which is interesting. I think it is alright to desire for a “family-like” atmosphere in a “business” (which CFB IS) but you have to be careful about acting like you are a family. Unless, of course, if Grandpa isn’t afraid to fire his own Son and POS Grandson!
I think Franklin desires for a “family-like” atmosphere which does not tolerate POS-like behavior or performance. I’m OK with the use of the word “family” in association with the PSU football program in this context.
Hey, you have your opinion on family and I have mine. At least I’ve never been processed at an Olive Garden, but then again I’ve never eaten at one in Michigan.
I lived near ann arbor for 11 years. Olive Garden there takes reservations but will give your table to a better customer with no notice.
CJF says trust the process and everyone relaxes. Harbaugh says trust the process his recruits quit answering their phones and go in hiding.
I'm not sure that everyone understands how much time a coach spends with and how emotionally invested they can become with a player. I was just a high school coach, but from August until the end of November, I definitely spent more time with the boys on my team, than I did with my own sons. I had a little ceremony for the seniors at the last practice. We created a line and shared an embrace with the departing players. There were tears. On occasion my wife would get lonely and frustrated and lash out by accusing me of caring more for the boys on my team than I did my own. This was hurtful at the time and certainly not the case.......but from her perspective, I can see how she felt at the time.
My high school coach changed my life and was a mentor and role model until he passed in 2012. No male had more of an impact on my life save for my Dad and older brother. Perhaps some of you can recall a time when as a teenager you drifted away from your father for a while......so there were actually times when my coach was more influential in my life than my father.
By the way,"my coach" I refer to was Joe Sarra. In 2009 when I lost my wife, he would call me to see how I was doing and always encourage me. This at a time he was dealing with a life changing illness that had him admitted to a nursing home. As a player, I lived for his approval.
I've been reflecting a great deal this past week. I received news that one of the star running backs on my first championship team died of a heart attack. I've been comforted by remembering the last time we were together. It was at homecoming 2004 and that team was being honored for 1 being the first undefeated and championship football team in school history and 2 (25 year anniversary). We shared a hug and I told him I loved him and he said the same.
No, I guess we are not "family".......but then I've known young men that didn't really have families like most of us were/are privileged to have. To those kids we were all the family they had. For some of those young men, playing on our team gave them an identity and the courage and motivation to go through school and achieve great things in life. I am gratified to say that many have become loving husband and fathers. When I retired from the school where I spent my entire career, the superintendent and assistant of schools and 3 school board members were former players of mine.
James Franklin didn't have an "ideal" childhood. I think it is quite possible he really believes his "family" pitch. I'll bet his high school coach and Denny Douds were/are very special to him.
My high school coach changed my life and was a mentor and role model until he passed in 2012. No male had more of an impact on my life save for my Dad and older brother. Perhaps some of you can recall a time when as a teenager you drifted away from your father for a while......so there were actually times when my coach was more influential in my life than my father.
By the way,"my coach" I refer to was Joe Sarra. In 2009 when I lost my wife, he would call me to see how I was doing and always encourage me. This at a time he was dealing with a life changing illness that had him admitted to a nursing home. As a player, I lived for his approval.
I've been reflecting a great deal this past week. I received news that one of the star running backs on my first championship team died of a heart attack. I've been comforted by remembering the last time we were together. It was at homecoming 2004 and that team was being honored for 1 being the first undefeated and championship football team in school history and 2 (25 year anniversary). We shared a hug and I told him I loved him and he said the same.
No, I guess we are not "family".......but then I've known young men that didn't really have families like most of us were/are privileged to have. To those kids we were all the family they had. For some of those young men, playing on our team gave them an identity and the courage and motivation to go through school and achieve great things in life. I am gratified to say that many have become loving husband and fathers. When I retired from the school where I spent my entire career, the superintendent and assistant of schools and 3 school board members were former players of mine.
James Franklin didn't have an "ideal" childhood. I think it is quite possible he really believes his "family" pitch. I'll bet his high school coach and Denny Douds were/are very special to him.
